External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has warned Bangladesh to clarify its stance towards India, criticizing the interim government’s “ridiculous” accusations against India. He expressed concern over Bangladesh’s growing hostility, urging them to choose a constructive relationship while addressing issues like minority attacks that affect bilateral ties. Jaishankar emphasized the importance of calmness and warned against normalizing terrorism, especially in light of Pakistan’s influence in Bangladesh. He suggested that India desires stable relations given their shared history since 1971. The discussions with Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain included concerns about the regional SAARC grouping dynamics.
New Delhi:
Following his recent meeting with Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain in Muscat, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has issued a warning to Bangladesh regarding its inconsistent stance towards India. He urged Dhaka to avoid making some of the “ridiculous” allegations put forth by leaders of the interim government against India.
Mr. Jaishankar’s warning comes as Dhaka has exhibited increasingly hostile behavior towards New Delhi. Expressing his concerns firmly, the foreign minister emphasized that Bangladesh needs to determine “right now” the direction it wants its relationship with India to take.
Pointing out the duplicity of Bangladesh’s stance, Mr. Jaishankar remarked that the country cannot claim to seek good relations with India while simultaneously blaming New Delhi for all of its domestic issues.
“If someone from the interim government blames India every single day for everything—including some claims that are, by all reports, completely absurd… You cannot profess a desire for good relations while waking up each morning to accuse us of causing all your problems. This is a choice they need to make,” Mr. Jaishankar stated during a public event.
“They need to determine what kind of relationship they wish to cultivate with New Delhi moving forward. Our history with Bangladesh is long and very special—dating back to 1971,” he continued.
The foreign minister also reiterated India’s apprehensions regarding the current situation in Bangladesh and how it affects bilateral discussions. “There are two significant issues that our bilateral relationship is facing—the first being communal attacks on minorities. What is particularly concerning for India is the recent wave of attacks on minorities, which significantly influences our perspective and prompts us to speak out, as we have,” Mr. Jaishankar remarked.
“The second issue,” he elaborated, “relates to their domestic politics—whether one agrees or disagrees with it, we are their neighbor, and they need to clarify their attitude towards us.”
He stated that the Government of India has “sent a clear message to Bangladesh” that New Delhi wishes for tensions to ease, but it is not in favor of Bangladesh’s continuous negative rhetoric towards India.
During his meeting with Bangladeshi counterpart Touhid Hossain, Mr. Jaishankar conveyed last week that Dhaka should not “normalize terrorism.” This warning arises amidst escalating Pakistani influence in Bangladesh.
When asked if regional grouping SAARC was discussed during Mr. Jaishankar’s meeting with Mr. Hossain, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed, “Regarding whether SAARC was part of the discussions… Yes, it was raised by the Bangladesh side during the EAM’s meeting with the Foreign Adviser in Muscat. It was acknowledged that all South Asian countries are aware of which nation and its activities hinder SAARC. The EAM stressed the importance of Bangladesh refraining from normalizing terrorism.”
Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Hossain had previously met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September last year, marking the first high-level engagement between India and Bangladesh’s interim government following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.